I was recently given a virtually dead computer: A Dell 233. The owner said it performed worse and worse and just finally became so hopeless he chucked it. Without giving you all the details he gave me a Dell Diagnostics disk, Win 95, 98 and upgrade ME disks and the boot floppies for each but none will install or run. So far all I’ve managed to install is DOS 6. I’ve scanned everything and run all the diagnostics and the only odd thing that shows up is that CHKDSK found a really long, long path name with a final sub directory called FLASH which for some reason I can’t get into (cd command).
Why can’t I get into this final sub directory to see what files are in it?
Is there any forensics-type software out there somewhere that will help me put some life into this old tank?
Formatting and reinstalling Windows means I probably lose a lot of old drivers so I’d rather avoid that… at least for a while. I suspect you’re right about the RTKit.
Tagged with: boot floppies • dead computer • dell • dos 6 • forensics • formatting • long path • old drivers • old tank • path name • reinstalling windows • rtkit • type software • win 95
Filed under: Computer Diagnostic Software
Sounds like a rootkit. Did you reformat the drive?
If you’re not an expert, this is the only viable option for getting rid of that.